Gareth Ward

Gareth James Ward is an Australian politician and convicted sex offender who was the New South Wales Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services in the second Berejiklian ministry from 2019 to 2021. Ward is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and has represented the seat of Kiama since 2011. He was suspended from NSW parliament in March 2022 until the end of that term in March 2023, after being charged with sexual intercourse without consent, and three counts of indecent assault. He was convicted of all four counts in July 2025 and is awaiting sentence. If Ward is expelled from parliament, that would force a by-election within the NSW seat of Kiama on the South Coast in the next 60 days.

Ward was also previously the Parliamentary Secretary for Education, in addition to his role as the Parliamentary Secretary for the Illawarra and South Coast from 2017 until 2019. Previously, Ward was a councilor on Shoalhaven City Council from 2004 until 2012.

Ward was born with albinism and is legally blind. Provided by Wikipedia